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Letters to our boys

(Editor’s Note: This is another installment of The Express’ “Letter to Our Boys,” written during World War II to let “our boys” know what was happening back in their home towns. The Express will bring the letters to you occasionally, thanks to the efforts of Fred and Anna Snyder, who compiled the letters over several years of research and donated a full copy of them to the Clinton County Historical Society.)

Saturday, March 10, 1945

Dear…

Cpl. George Barnes, one of the best boxers to push the leather at TC, writes from Alsace Lorraine and if his love of sports in general is any criterion of how the soldiers and sailors feel about continuing athletics in wartime, there is no doubt that sportdom will thrive.

Of the College and the war, he says: “From the look of things, maybe by next Fall you’ll be able to have a team again.”

Although a ringman, George, whose home is in Williamsport, is a great football fan. Right in the middle of his letter, George was told that he had a three-day pass and he went to Paris where he rewrote the whole letter at the Hotel de Paris.

“Speaking of my quarters back at the front — sell, we have been moving up and on steadily and now our platoon is staying in a civilian house with an old German couple who occupy the back rooms and the cellar (because of artillery shelling) and we the front three. Most of the buildings in the little Alsatian town have been shelled — many ruined — but ours is not too bad.

Two weeks ago in Los Angeles four local boys in the Army and Navy had a reunion.

Tom McLaughlin, Bob and Dick Winters and Jimmy Dennehy, all stationed at bases in California, met and hashed over home news. Dennehy was promoted to seaman, first class, March 1.

Pvt. James Sayers writes that he came across Pvt. Anthony Romeo in a hospital in England. Sayers is in a replacement center after having recovered from a broken ankle, sustained when he was hit by a crane during a bomb-loading.

He said that Romeo expects to be back in the US soon after having sustained wounds to his chest and to an arm and leg which were broken. Anthony was hit in Germany in late December and has since been in hospitals in Belgium, France and England.

KILLED

Pfc. Lester (Bud) Winters, Jr., in Germany, Feb. 23, shortly after returning to front as infantryman follwing wounds four months earlier; father World War I veteran. Pvt. Karl Krone in France last Aug. 26, the day he had been reported missing.

WOUNDED

Lt. John Griffin, Richmond, Va., slightly (husband of Barbara Thrall, formerly of LH) Pfc. Richard Dorey, slightly in Luxembourg, Feb. 21. Pfc. Alvin Peters, Mill Hall RD 1, slightly, in Germany Feb. 19.

MISSING

S/Sgt. Oscar Heaton, in Germany, Feb. 19. S/Sgt. Edward Dry, Mill Hall, over Austria, Feb. 21.

DISCHARGED

GM3/c Dick Flanigan back at paper mill after 2 1/2 years in Navy including 11 round trips over Atlantic and service in invasions of Sicily, Anzio and Southern France. Pfc. Ken Cole, Flemington, from Marine Corps after 11 months.

BACK FROM WAR

Cpl. Bucky Emert, formerly of Mill Hall, former member of local artillery unit, now an MP, for 30 days, after 2 1/2 years in Europe. S2/c Floyd Newberry, 30 days, after 11 months in Pacific. Pvt. Robert McGill, 19, for 21 days after wounds in Philippines; later to undergo skin-graft at Springfield, Mo. S1/c Dominic (Scutchy) Clementi, 10 days after eight-week Atlantic cruise on carrier. Pfc. LeMoyne Dotts, Avis, 14 days, after return from Germany where he was wounded in arm; returns to Louisville, Ky. soon. Pfc. Albert Seyler after 16 months in Europe; being treated at Atlantic City after Nazi machine gun wound. S2/c Tommy Hanna for weekend after ship returns to Atlantic Port.

Decorated — Bronze Star to S/Sgt. Joseph Borella in Germany with 319th Infantry. Presidental Citation: Sgt. Harold Wolfe for low photo reconnaissance over Germany. S/Sgt. Ed Stehman, Air Medal, as radio operator-gunner with 15th Air Force. Sgt. H.A. Dickey, Beech Creek, Bronze Star and Good Conduct Medal, after 37 months in Army, now in Germany; promoted to sergeant recently. Pfc. Edward Clukey, Castanea, Combat Infantryman Badge, with 7th Army. Sgt. Myron Sampsell, Presidental Citation, with 9th Air Froce. Cpl. James Yeager, Bronze Star, with tan-destroyer battalion on Western Front. Lt. Jack Jones, Air Medal, as B-24 pilot with 15th Air Force. Sgt. Claude (Red) Lucas, Silver Star, posthumously, for brilliant and daring action Oct. 22 when he was wounded, continued with his clearing of a path through wire and was killed as he returned. Pvt. William F. Smith, Combat Infantryman Badge, with 7th army.

WED

Pvt. Thomas Heckel, Castanea, stationed at Shreveport, La., to Marian Coffey, LH RD, at Shamokin, March 3. Pvt. Robert Roderick, Fort Ord, Cal., to Twila Miller here March 6. S1/c George Sheats, Loganton RD, stationed in New York, to Mary Grassmyer here March 3. S1/c Robert Fabel, Philadelphia, stationed at Beaufort, S.C., to Margaret Torsell at Beaufort, Feb. 26. Lt. Robert Bouse, Renovo, Fort Dix, to Ann Maxwell, at Red Bank, N.J., Feb. 24.

BORN

Son to Lt. and Mrs. Norman Hockenberry, Harrisburg, March 4; mother was former Margaret Griffith. Daughter to Sgt. and Mrs. Robert Dice, Avis, at Jersey Shore March 7; Pop’s at Camp Stewart, Ga. Son to Ens. and Mrs. Gene Sullivan at Abington March 5; Dad is in Pacific. Son to PO and Mrs. Lorenzo Kemmerer here March 3; Daddy’s at Camp Peary, Va. Daughter to Sgt. and Mrs. W. D. Rosenberger; Pop, former Renovo YMCA athletic director, is at San Antonio, Tex.; Mother is former Jane Haberstroh.

SHORT TAKES

Carol Ann Perry, 4, Jim Perry’s daughter, has leg broken when struck by car. River still big topic here this week but no flood. State advances primary election from September to June to gives boys in service better chance to vote; LH will elect controller, councilmen, school directors. State seeks more forest fire wardens in reorganization for Spring. Community Chest-National War Fund Drive closes with $45,000 raised here. County World War II veterans farm loan group organized with Perry Hanna chairman.

133 called up from 2 Clinton County Draft Board areas in March; 26 inducted from Renovo area; no figure for LH yet. Albert Bowman, enginer for MH Mfg. Co. which produces electricity from water power for sale to PPL, has narrow escape at Axe Factory Dam when dragged into water as he attempts to remove a board; clutches end of pier and pulls self to safety.

129 chicks and equipment worth $500 lost in fire which destroys barn near John Fetters’ home, Flemington.

Lt. Franklin Keen, home on leave from Western Front, and Lt. Warren Ohl, on leave from service with Seabees in Alaska, speak to Exchange Club.

Piper Aircraft Corp. buys from Henry Rote two lots at entrance to airport. Gloria Haggerty admitted to county bar at 21. Mrs. Ward Thompson, 61, dies.

Road to Farrandsville closed three days dur to ice from river.

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